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Riyas Babu is the founder of Satwik. He is a dedicated teacher and a student of Vedanta, with a passion for exploring higher consciousness. Born in a small village in India, Riyas has travelled extensively throughout India at a very young age, gaining knowledge and embarking on a personal journey of self-discovery.

His journalistic career opened new opportunities that allowed Riyas to travel abroad to war-torn Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. The sheer human suffering he witnessed during this tenure convinced him that true liberation can only be achieved through unconventional love. This realization persuaded him to spend more time learning and exploring the ancient philosophy of yoga, studying under different masters in India and abroad.

Riyas’s dedication to yoga and meditation has led him to found our center. As a teacher, Riyas is patient, compassionate, and knowledgeable. He creates a welcoming environment for students of all levels to explore their practice and discover their own path to higher consciousness. Riyas believes that yoga is a journey of self-discovery, and his teachings reflect this philosophy.

Meet Sujeesh Jayakumar, an insightful yoga teacher with a deep passion for yoga. He has dedicated over ten years to studying yoga under the guidance of many different masters in India. He began sharing his own knowledge and experience in yoga over five years ago.

Sujeesh has developed a versatile teaching style by mixing different styles of asana training, including Kalari and breathing techniques. He is skilled in teaching Hatha, Ashtanga, Pranayama, Adjustment, and Alignment. Born in Kerala, he has a human way of communicating that makes him approachable and easy to learn from.

Sujeesh is a certified Yoga Alliance teacher with knowledge of Ayurveda. He shares all his knowledge in his classes, which are suitable for everyone, regardless of their level of experience. Sujeesh has five years of teaching experience with international students at various schools in India.

Sujeesh will be teaching all courses and retreats in the autumn of 2023 and 2024. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from one of the best yoga teachers in the world.

Mahendra Pal is an experienced and dedicated yoga teacher who has been practicing and teaching yoga for over a decade. He was born and brought up in Etah, a town near Shankasya, a famous Buddhist site. During his schooling at Gautam Buddha Inter College, Mahendra Ji was encouraged to explore yoga.

Breaking away from his original plans of continuing his family business and studies, Mahendra Ji left home and traveled to Haridwar to follow his calling. He followed Gayatri Pariwar at Shanti Kunj for 4 years and completed Post Graduate Diploma in Yoga Science from Deva Sanskriti University. He then went on to take his Master’s in Yoga Science from Uttarakhand Sanskrit University in 2016. He also completed a 6-month certificate course in Ayurveda to specialize in the field.

His dedication and hard work earned him recognition and authenticity by qualifying for QCI (Quality Council of India) from the Department of AYUSH in June 2017. Since July 2016, Mahendra Ji has been actively associated with Rishikul Yogshala in Rishikesh. His specialization subjects include Pranayama, Meditation, Mudra and Bandhas, Ayurveda, and Shatkarma.

Jenny Sørensen Vaage is a Norwegian Yoga teacher with a general focus on breathing, awareness and relaxation.  She mainly teaches Yin Yoga and gentle Hatha Yoga and her approach to Yoga is functional and inclusive, always offering alternatives and variations when needed. Yoga is a practice that extends beyond the mat, a philosophy which is a deep part of her life. She is known for her calming voice and often ends her classes with mantra chanting.

In 2011 she traveled to India for the first time to study Peace and Conflict studies, and fell in love with the country (and with Yoga). So in 2018, when she decided to do her first Yoga teacher training, India was a natural choice. She has continued her education ever since, both through self-studies and continued education.

She is originally from Bergen, Norway, has a Masters in Media Studies from University of Bergen, and additional studies in Pedagogy from University of Trømso.  Her professional background is from Art Production and events. For the past 6 years she has been working as a Yoga teacher and is also a member of the board of Norsk Yogalærerforbund.

Photo by Elena Graham Photography